 U.S. wants China of a red line in Ukraine war. The United States is warning China against material and security assistance to Russia in Moscow's war on Ukraine, laying out Washington's red line ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's visit to Beijing early next month. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase spoke to Song Yan Chao, Deputy Director of China's Office for International Military Cooperation of Central Military Commission, according to a U.S. official who spoke to FOA on condition of anonymity. This week's military-to-military talks come as the U.S. is monitoring closely any decisions by the People's Republic of China in response to Russian requests for security assistance. The U.S. official took note of reports about multiple visits to China by Russian transport aircraft. I don't have a new assessment to offer. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told when asked if it is still Washington's assessment that Beijing is not providing security assistance to Russia. If we see the PRC taking action to systematically assist Russia evade sanctions, of course there will be costs, said Price. Two-hour talks came after China turned down a U.S. offer for military-de-confliction talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe earlier this month. During a press conference at the State Department after the U.S.-Japan two-plus-two talks last week, Austin said he has asked his Chinese counterpart to meet the U.S. halfway and keep open lines of communication to avoid miscalculation. Wei is retiring in March. Li Shangfu, a new member of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Military Commission, is widely seen as the PRC's next Minister of National Defense. Li was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2018 due to Chinese purchases of advanced Russian fighters and missile systems, but the U.S. sanctions would not prevent Li from holding official meetings with American officials, according to a State Department official.